Paraplegia or quadriplegia, paralysis of either two or four limbs, are among the most traumatic and severe types of personal injuries that an accident victim can experience. Paralysis victims may be restricted to a wheelchair or require ongoing medical care and daily task assistance.
California Paralysis Lawyers at Wilshire Law Firm
Pain, suffering, and high medical costs are just a few of the adverse effects of these injuries. Paraplegia and quadriplegia injuries are genuinely life-changing events.
Sometimes, another party can be at fault for a catastrophic injury resulting in paralysis. If you believe this might be true in your case, you should immediately secure the services of a paraplegia injury lawyer or a quadriplegia injury lawyer.
An experienced Los Angeles paralysis attorney at Wilshire Law Firm has the skills and resources necessary to secure maximum compensation for victims and their families. Our paraplegia and quadriplegia accident attorneys understand the short and long-term consequences of paralyzing injuries and will treat injury victims and their families with the respect and compassion that they deserve.
What Are the Types of Paralysis?
Paralysis is the loss of muscle function in part of your body. It occurs when there is nerve damage and something goes awry in the communication between your brain and muscles. It can occur on just one or both sides of the body. It can also be experienced temporarily, permanently, or even come and go.
Here are the different types of paralysis:
- Complete paralysis – complete inability to move or control muscles; lack of feeling in muscles
- Partial/Incomplete paralysis – partial feeling, and possible control over paralyzed muscles
- Localized paralysis – affects a specific area, such as the face, hands, or feet
- Generalized paralysis – widespread in the body; grouped by how much of the body is affected
- Monoplegia – generalized paralysis that just affects one limb
- Diplegia – paralysis of the same areas on both sides, such as both arms or both legs
- Hemiplegia – paralysis on one side of the body. A stroke, which damages one side of your brain, is usually the cause.
- Quadriplegia/Tetraplegia – paralysis of all four limbs, sometimes along with specific organs
- Paraplegia – paralysis from the waist down
- Locked-in syndrome – paralysis of all muscles except the ones that control eye movement
At Wilshire Law Firm, we’ll provide you with the best paralysis attorney Los Angeles has to offer. We use a dedicated team of paralysis experts to determine how to represent your personal injury claim best and reach an outcome that can cover all damages incurred.
What Is the Difference Between Paraplegia and Quadriplegia?
What is Quadriplegia?
Quadriplegia is when all four limbs (both arms and both legs) are paralyzed, sometimes along with specific organs. It is also known as tetraplegia and can be caused by damage to the brain or spinal cord, or both. A spinal cord injury can prevent the messages and signals between the brain and limbs.
What Are the Symptoms of Quadriplegia?
Generally, some common symptoms of quadriplegia are:
- Consistent pain
- Loss or decreased sensation below the injured area
- Lack of control of movement below the injured area
- Spastic movement
- Difficulty using the bathroom
- Respiratory infections
- Changes in libido and sexual function
If you believe you may have symptoms of quadriplegia, it is best to consult with a medical specialist to get a formal diagnosis immediately.
What is Paraplegia?
Paraplegia is paralysis of the lower half of the body, typically below the pelvic organs. Typically, paraplegia causes a lack of mobility of the legs, feet, and sometimes the abdomen because of an accident or chronic medical condition.
What Are the Symptoms of Paraplegia?
Symptoms that appear paraplegic cases include:
- Loss or decreased sensation below the injured area
- Lack of control of movement below the injured area
- Spastic movement
- Difficulty using the bathroom
- Respiratory infections
- Changes in libido and sexual function
- Phantom pain in the lower body
While both paraplegia and quadriplegia result in some form of paralysis, they differ in their symptoms and effects. Paraplegia is characterized by an impairment in the motor or sensory functions of the lower extremities. Quadriplegia (or Tetraplegia) is an impairment in the motor or sensory functions of both the upper and lower extremities, along with the torso. Therefore, the difference between paraplegia and quadriplegia is that paraplegia does not affect the upper extremities.
While you might think that paralysis of the arms or legs is a result of damage to those limbs, the problem begins with an injury to the spinal cord or brain. Depending on where the injury causing the paralysis occurs, different symptoms can result. Quadriplegia is typically the result of damage to the cervical spine at the C1-C7 level. In contrast, injuries to the thoracic spine, lumbar spine, or sacral spine are more likely to result in paraplegia.
Contact a Los Angeles paralysis lawyer at Wilshire Law Firm to assist with litigating your paraplegia case. A paraplegic injury lawyer will be sensitive to your needs as an accident victim and as a valued legal client. A spinal cord injury attorney at our firm is trained to honor the attorney-client relationship and has dedicated their entire life to serving you. We represent spinal cord injury cases with only the very best, time-proven strategies and resources at our disposal.
What Are the Common Causes of Paralysis?
When the brain or spinal cord no longer function properly, the complex collection of signals and relays used by the body can similarly fail to work correctly, resulting in paralysis. That’s the main reason why the overwhelming amount of paralysis injuries are the result of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
How do these occur? Well, the common causes of paralysis are:
- Motor vehicle accident
- Car accident
- Motorcycle accident
- Truck accidents
- Bicycle accident
- Falls and Workplace Accidents
- Acts of violence, including gunshot wounds
- Sports Injuries
- Medical malpractice
Not all injuries to the spinal cord or brain are traumatic, however, and paralysis can still result in these instances.
Some non-traumatic injuries that can cause paralysis to include:
- Strokes
- Genetic Disorders such as hereditary spastic paraplegia
- Oxygen Deprivation due to choking or other injuries
- Autoimmune Disorders
- Infections of the Brain or Spinal Cord
- Tumors, Lesions, or Cancer of the Brain or Spinal Column
Medical providers will often utilize imaging tools like CTs, X-Rays, and MRIs to confirm the causes of paralysis. The cost of caring for each of these SCI patients is enormous, totaling close to $10 billion annually in the United States. Unfortunately, paraplegic and quadriplegic patients see an average of about $70,000 in wages lost, creating a financial burden for many patients that can seem overwhelming at times.
A paralysis injury attorney will seek the maximum possible compensation for your compensatory claim so that you can focus on recovery and adjustment.
How Is Paralysis Treated?
As part of standard hospitalization and medical care in the days following an accident injury that results in complete or partial paralysis, there will be several courses of treatment. Once a patient is relatively stable, a surgeon will assess and discuss any possible surgery, such as surgical intervention and surgical stabilization.
Surgical intervention is recommended for several reasons, such as:
- Bone fragment removal
- Foreign object removal
- Blood clots
- Herniated disks
- Fractured vertebrae
- Spinal tumors
Surgical stabilization is a standard surgical procedure performed after a spinal cord injury. This procedure ensures spinal alignment and can prevent future damage, deformity, and pain.
The goals of paralysis treatment include improving each patient’s long-term prognosis, reducing immediate threats to each patient’s life and health, and teaching each patient’s brain and spinal cord how to work around any damage to the spinal cord or brain.
Therefore, here’s how medical experts commonly treat paralysis:
- Neurosurgery and spinal cord surgeries to address obstructions, deal with any fractures or compressions, and to manage swelling
- Medications to reduce the risk of infections, blood clots, or other secondary issues
- Physical therapy to help patients regain function
- Exercise therapy to reduce chronic pain
- Psychotherapy to help patients manage their injuries
- Educational materials for both patients and their families about each patient’s spine injury, as well as information covering advocacy groups and family support groups
While each patient’s treatment is different, intensive treatments involving some combination of the remedies listed above remain the best chance at recovery for quadriplegia and paraplegia patients.
Secondary Conditions
Your medical examiner and aftercare specialist may inform you that secondary conditions may develop after your hospitalization and initial treatment. These conditions include, but are not limited to:
- Blood clots (deep vein thrombosis or DVT)
- Autonomic dysreflexia
- Pneumonia
- Skin problems and pressure sores
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Spasticity
- Chronic Pain
- Bladder and urinary tract infections
- Irregular bowel movement
- Respiratory infections
- Depression
How Do I Know if I Have a Case for Paralysis?
What are the Symptoms of Paralysis?
Quadriplegia and paraplegia are catastrophic injuries, not only because they can be permanent, but also because they can be variable. Patients can experience changes in their symptoms over time, but many patient outcomes frustratingly seem random.
While some paralysis patients will improve dramatically, others may not make any improvement, even while undergoing proper treatment.
Even if the initial results are frustrating, most paraplegics and quadriplegics continue with their physical therapy to improve their conditions, primarily because the effects of paralysis are so devastating.
The symptoms and effects of paralysis include:
- Loss of sensation below the site of spinal cord or brain injury. In some cases, this sensation loss is complete and permanent. In other instances, sensations are reduced or intermittent.
- Inability to move the limbs below the site of the injury. Some movement may return, but most paraplegics and quadriplegics will never fully regain muscle strength and control
- Chronic pain from complications like muscle atrophy
- Spasticity of the muscles most affected by the paralysis, leading to sudden, uncontrolled movements
- Difficulty with bladder and bowel control
- A decrease in or loss of sexual function or fertility
- Psychological effects, especially depression and anxiety
- Respiratory infections, which are the leading cause of death among spinal injury survivors
Many paraplegics and quadriplegics also suffer from weight gain after their injuries. With their mobility limited, some patients are forced to reduce their calorie consumption or risk the adverse health effects of being overweight or obese.
How Can an Attorney at Wilshire Law Firm Help?
Catastrophic injuries that result in paralysis are often caused by avoidable accidents. If another party contributed to the events that caused you or a loved one’s paralysis, a Los Angeles paralysis lawyer at Wilshire Law Firm can establish liability and secure compensation for your expenses and loss.
The compensation available for paralysis injuries includes:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages and benefits
- Loss of earning capacity
- Emotional Distress
- Pain and Suffering
- Loss of Consortium
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life
A quadriplegia injury attorney or paraplegia injury lawyer can alleviate some of the stress and overwhelm associated with suing whoever was responsible for your injuries. No one should have to face this situation on their own or without the help of leading professionals.
How Is Paralysis Evaluated in a Personal Injury Case?
In paralysis accident claims, California law allows a spinal cord injury victim to seek economic and non-economic damages. The qualified, award-winning attorneys at our Los Angeles paralysis law firm are experts in securing the actual compensation amount you may deserve.
The statute of limitations in California is two years, meaning a paralysis injury victim has two years to sue any negligent or liable parties after the date of their accident.
Don’t wait for justice! Paralysis cases often take months to process. Hire a paralysis injury attorney today to discuss your case. We offer free consultations and will work diligently on your severe injury claim.
Contact Los Angeles Paralysis Lawyers at Wilshire Law Firm Today
If a severe accident causes injuries to you or a loved one, a personal injury attorney at Wilshire Law Firm can help you secure the justice you deserve. A spinal cord injury lawyer at our firm has extensive experience representing paralysis victims and provides each client with honest advice and significant results.
Contact Wilshire Law Firm today at (877) 544 0852 or fill out our online contact form to get started today with your free consultation.
